2026 Watford mayoral election
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7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
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The 2026 Watford mayoral election will be held on 7 May 2026 to elect the mayor of Watford, on the same date as the Watford local council election and other local elections across the country.
The position of Mayor of Watford was established in 2002. It was held by Dorothy Thornhill of the Liberal Democrats until 2018 when fellow Liberal Democrat Peter Taylor was elected to succeed her. In the 2022 mayoral election, Taylor was re-elected with over 50% of the vote.[1]
Electoral system
The election uses the voting system of first past the post to elect the mayor, having been changed from the supplementary vote system in 2022. In first past the post, there is only one count, and the candidate with the most votes wins. The Electoral Reform Society described the move to first past the post as one lowering the bar for politicians and thus damaging British democracy.[2]
Candidates
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Ryan Bonar | New | |||
| Reform | Mark Dixon | New | |||
| Conservative | Abdul Laskar | ||||
| Green | Jake Mitchell | New | |||
| Labour | Keith Morgan | ||||
| UK Voice | Ketankumar Pipaliya | New | |||
| Liberal Democrats | Peter Taylor | ||||
References
- ↑ "Watford Mayor Election 2022 Candidates and Results". BBC News. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
- ↑ Wright, Mike (8 May 2024). "Local elections: A third of the vote shouldn't make a mayor". Electoral Reform Society. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ↑ Nolan, Donna (10 April 2026). "Statement of Persons Nominated - Mayoral Election 2026" (PDF). Watford Borough Council. Retrieved 10 April 2026.